An Analysis of the Impacts of Economic Empowerment on the Personal and Professional Lives of Women Entrepreneurs in E-Commerce Sectors of Bangladesh

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Published: 2024-12-03
Updated: 2024-12-03
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2024-12-03 (2)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.61606/BJMIS.V10N1.A5
Keywords:
E-commerce, Economic Empowerment, Personal and Professional Lives, Women’s Entrepreneurship

Main Article Content

Ishrat Jahan Khan
Department of Women and Gender Studies, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh.
Md. Iftekharul Amin
Institute of Business Administration , University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh
Mohammad Saif Noman Khan
Institute of Business Administration, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
Sabiha Tasnim Nishy
Independent Researcher
Raiyan Kabir
Institute of Business Administration, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh.

Abstract

Entrepreneurship significantly influences the economic empowerment of women in Bangladesh. Entrepreneurship helps women by enabling them to exercise control over their financial resources and achieve autonomy to a great extent. Entrepreneurship also fosters social cohesiveness and encourages the creation of employment possibilities by empowering women entrepreneurs to engage in community-focused activities, such as oƯering essential goods and services. Moreover, it allows women to engage in decision-making processes in various spheres of their everyday lives. Although Bangladesh has made significant strides in women's entrepreneurship, it isn't easy to ascertain how these opportunities have facilitated women's empowerment in their personal and professional lives. This research aims to examine the correlation between entrepreneurship and the promotion of women's empowerment in their personal and professional lives. It employs a mixed-methods approach, which combines a quantitative method through a survey and a qualitative method through In-Depth Interviews (IDIs) with women entrepreneurs. By taking a closer look at the challenges women entrepreneurs encounter in their everyday lives, this study offers more inclusive strategies that equalize possibilities for them in the e-commerce sectors of Bangladesh. 

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Vol. 10 No. 01 (2024): June 2024

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Author Biographies

Ishrat Jahan Khan, Department of Women and Gender Studies, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh.

Dr. Ishrat Khan is an Associate Professor at the Department of Women and Gender Studies, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Ishrat has been teaching in this field for more than a decade. She was awarded the prestigious Commonwealth Scholarship to pursue her doctorate at the University of Sussex in England. Ishrat started her career as a development researcher at ActionAid International. Later, she moved into academia following her diploma in Women and Gender Studies, which she completed at the University of Hull with an Erasmus Mundus GEMMA scholarship. Her research interests include Gender and Development, Women’s Empowerment, Violence Against Women, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), and media representations of gender. As a feminist academic and researcher, Ishrat collaborated on several gender and development-related projects in Bangladesh and abroad, including Canterbury University in the UK, Share-Net International, NWO-WOTRO (Dutch Government-funded SRHR research), Equimundo (US-based MenCare Project), UNDP, WHO, and Canterbury University, UK to name a few.

Md. Iftekharul Amin, Institute of Business Administration , University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh

Dr. Md. Iftekharul Amin, Professor, Institute of Business Administration (IBA), University of Dhaka, is a renowned academician and also an expert in quantitative research and analysis. He graduated with a Computer Science and Engineering degree from the University of Dhaka and then obtained his MBA from the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), University of Dhaka. He completed his Ph.D. in e-commerce adoption in Bangladesh from the Institute of Information Technology (IIT), University of Dhaka. He showed outstanding academic performance at all levels of his education. Currently, he is a faculty member of IBA, University of Dhaka. Before joining IBA, Dr. Iftekhar worked as an assistant commissioner and executive magistrate and served in different capacities in the administrative departments of the government of Bangladesh. After joining IBA, Dr. Iftekhar worked on different research projects. As a quantitative researcher, he worked on research projects for development organizations like WB, UNFPA, CARE, and WHO. As a lead researcher, he has also conducted a number of marketing research projects for different private organizations. As an academician, he is involved in different research projects and has published a number of research papers in different national and international journals. His expertise includes marketing research, consumer behavior study, e-commerce, women empowerment, and SMEs and marketing communication. He is an Associate Member of the Australian Academy of Business Leadership (AABL), Australia since 20 April 2016.

Mohammad Saif Noman Khan, Institute of Business Administration, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh

Mohammad Saif Noman Khan is an associate professor at the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), University of Dhaka (DU). He holds two MBA degrees, from IBA and DU, and Schulich School of Business, York University, Canada. In addition, he has a bachelor's and master's degree in English Literature from the University of Dhaka. A tenured faculty member at IBA, he teaches in the Executive MBA, MBA, and BBA programs. He is also one of the leading faculty members in the executive education programs at IBA, especially in Communication and Strategy. Mr. Noman has undertaken numerous strategy and business consultancy projects in the public and private sectors. He headed consultancy projects with The World Bank and The United Nations. He has undertaken research and published in Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Bangladesh and the Banking sector, as well as other business areas. He is also a regular contributor to some leading dailies in various business areas.

Sabiha Tasnim Nishy, Independent Researcher

Sabiha Tasnim Nishy received her B.Sc. degree in Agriculture from Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Bangladesh, and her MBA in Finance from the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), University of Dhaka. She is currently working as a Project Assistant with the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), an international development organization. Sabiha’s professional expertise and interest spans sustainable agriculture, agri-financing, and SME development, with a strong focus on stakeholder engagement and capacity building. Her work includes fostering connections between agri-tech startups, investors, and farmers, as well as guiding initiatives that empower women in the SME sector. Her thesis during the MBA focused on the strategies to strengthen the CMSME sector of a renowned bank in Bangladesh. She previously acted as an associate at 10 Minute School, the largest ed-tech platform in Bangladesh, where she contributed to content development and capacity building. Additionally, she worked as an online instructor, creating engaging and accessible educational resources and leveraging digital tools to enhance learning experiences.

Raiyan Kabir, Institute of Business Administration, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh.

Raiyan Kabir earned his B.Sc. in Computer Science with a minor in Business Administration from BRAC University and an MBA in Marketing from the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), University of Dhaka. He is currently working as a Development Professional at Padakhep Manabik Unnayan Kendra. Raiyan’s research interests include Marketing for Development Industries, Gender & Entrepreneurship, E-Commerce & Development, and Sustainable Digital Business. His MBA internship research focused on how development organizations can improve their marketing strategies to reach better and support marginalized communities. Raiyan is interested in understanding how digital platforms can be used to promote sustainable development, inclusivity, and gender equality.

How to Cite

Khan, I. J., Amin, M. I. ., Khan, M. S. N. ., Nishy, S. T. N., & Kabir, R. (2024). An Analysis of the Impacts of Economic Empowerment on the Personal and Professional Lives of Women Entrepreneurs in E-Commerce Sectors of Bangladesh. Bangladesh Journal of MIS, 10(01), 91-102. https://doi.org/10.61606/BJMIS.V10N1.A5

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